An announcement asking non-Hindus and Muslims to leave the Rang Morla Garba event in Ahmedabad on October 14 prompted Gujarati folk singer Aditya Gadhvi to publicly distance himself from the statement, clarifying that the message did not reflect his views and that he had no involvement in making it.
The announcement was made by anchor and radio jockey Aakash Trivedi from the stage during a break in the programme, held at Savvana Party Plot on Shela Road, near Ahmedabad’s SP Ring Road. Gadhvi was performing at the event as part of the Rang Morla ft. Aditya Gadhvi programme.
Following the anchor’s statement, the singer shared a message on his Instagram Story, writing, “Anyone who comes to the Garba with love and respect for Maa is welcome. I did not do anything that happened at the programme, and it was neither my message nor my thought. This was not my message.”
In his announcement, anchor Trivedi asked attendees belonging to other religions to leave the venue and said that members of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) were present to protect Sanatan Dharma.
He also announced a helpline number, asking Garba participants to report people they considered suspicious. Trivedi’s remarks drew attention online, prompting Gadhvi to clarify his position in a statement shared on Instagram.
“I am an artist. I am a proud Hindu. Navratri is the most sacred time of my year, and standing on a stage singing for Maa Ambe in front of thousands of people dancing Garba is the greatest blessing of my life,” Gadhvi wrote.
He said that a group had taken control of the backstage area and used the platform to make an announcement he did not endorse. According to the singer, neither his team nor the anchor had consulted him about the matter, and he maintained that he had not been involved in the decision.
Gadhvi also invoked the inclusive traditions of Garba, arguing that the dance has historically brought people of different faiths together.
“Garba has never asked anyone for their surname. For generations, people of every faith in Gujarat and across India have played Garba side by side, and that is what makes it ours,” he wrote.
Reiterating his position, the singer said that anyone who approached Garba with love and respect for Maa Ambe was welcome.
“That is not politics. That is just how I was raised. My stage is for music and for devotion. Jai Ambe,” he added.
VHP says volunteers approached event organisers
The Gujarat VHP defended the presence of its volunteers at Garba events. According to reports, its spokesperson, Hitendrasinh Rajput, said that Bajrang Dal volunteers, the youth wing of the VHP, regularly visit Garba venues in Ahmedabad and approach organisers about restricting the entry of non-Hindus.
Rajput said volunteers sometimes apply tilak to men attending such events and remove people they consider suspicious from the premises.
According to him, Bajrang Dal volunteers visited the Rang Morla event on Wednesday and asked the organisers to prevent non-Hindus from entering. He said the announcement was subsequently made from the stage by the organisers.
The episode has drawn attention to the differing positions expressed by those associated with the event: the announcement made to attendees, the VHP’s explanation of its volunteers’ activities, and Gadhvi’s public statement that his platform was intended for music and devotion.
